Experience beautiful countryside and abundant wildlife in Atherton Tablelands, QLD, Australia

Details

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  Description

  If you are seeking beautiful countryside, abundant native wildlife, peace and tranquility, stunning night skies and a place where wellbeing is prioritised, read on! We've had many volunteers here, and most don't want to leave!
  
  My partner (Drew) and I (Maia) have a lovely home on 3 acres, at the southern end of the beautiful Atherton Tablelands in Queensland (popular for its incredible climate, nature, waterfalls, swimming holes, lakes, tourist attractions, etc.) We are delighted to have lots of wallabies that live here too! 😍
  
  Our average age is 62 (young at heart!) Drew is a wonderful gardener and handyman. The home he sold on the Sunshine Coast in 2023 had a brilliant, abundant garden/food forest that he grew from a bare block. He's keen to create another magical, food-producing garden in Millstream too - chemical-free, of course. He has made a start, however, there are a few other urgent priorities to get on with first.
  
  We have lived in community, and we're very community-minded. With the extensive world travel we've done, we've loved experiencing many different cultures. We are BnB Superhosts and have hosted people from around the world (with great reviews). I've also created and managed an equestrian centre (many years ago) and lived in an intentional eco-community, in which we had many travellers from around the world volunteering with us.
  
  We are clean living and seek the same. i.e. smoke-free, drug-free, eco. We don't drink alcohol, and we have no objection to people drinking low-key (e.g. having a wine with their meal or a beer on a hot day). We have a zero-tolerance policy with smoking, drugs or any form of intoxication.
  
  We also use natural, chemical-free products for home, cleaning and personal care. This is especially important and necessary as a health choice for me. ***IMPORTANT*** If you don't have chemical-free, we will provide some products if we have any concerns with yours. You need to be okay with not using yours if that's what's necessary.
  
  (We will check these things with you.)
  
  We are considerate of your dietary preferences. Drew is vegetarian and gluten-free. I am flexitarian and mostly gluten-free. The most ease is for Workawayers to be happy with a vegetarian diet if they stay here.
  
  We are connected to mains power and water and we also have rainwater tanks. The property has solar panels, and we plan to set up more solar panels, a wind turbine and batteries.
  
  There are a few small and large projects happening.
  
  We look forward to meeting some adventurous spirits from all around the world!

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  I am Italian/Australian and Drew is Australian. With the extensive travel we've done, we've loved experiencing many different cultures. We've both been hosts on another platform in the past and have hosted people from around the world (good reviews). I also managed volunteers when I worked for Red Cross many years ago, and created and managed an equestrian centre (many years ago) and I have lived in an intentional eco-community where we had many travellers from around the world volunteering with us.
  
  We're friendly and community-minded, and we've accumulated a lot of skills and experience over our many decades of life, and we are happy to share what we know. Drew's very practical and his talents are creative and diverse, like gardening, designing and building things, solar know-how, alternative lifestyles, health and wellbeing, ingenious solutions to assorted challenges.
  
  My skills are both practical and creative - interior decorating, health and wellbeing, alternative lifestyles, coaching and mentoring, music and therapeutic sound, photography, writing and coming up with creative solutions to assorted challenges.
  
  We're happy to have a phone or video chat to 'meet' each other to explore the possibilities. :-)

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  Help

  At different times we need help to maintain and improve the property, both inside the home and on the land. There is a wide variety of tasks we need to do. We usually like to have a chat on the phone with anyone who is interested in coming here, and at that time we can be more specific about what we need help with.
  
  (We are not seeking any business-related help and we are not offering any wages.)
  
  The length of time would depend on what help we need, your availability, what you are interested in, what you can offer and how it is working out.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Italian: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  Drew takes an interest in languages, and has enjoyed learning some of my native tongue (Italian), which I speak very poorly due to living the majority of my life in Australia. My dad was Italian and spoke five languages. He always insisted on speaking English at home because it was his adopted country. With my mother born in Australia (even though she learned to speak Italian) we really had limited exposure to Italian. I am happy to practice my Italian. :-)
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  Accommodation

  The modern home is architecturally designed. While helpers sometimes have their own van, we mostly have helpers here with a standard car or no transport at all. We have basic accommodation available - a room that is a separate building from the house, with mattresses, chairs, coffee table and a camping toilet for overnight. During the day there is a toilet and basin in the laundry and an outdoor, undercover bath and shower. You also share our kitchen, living room and spacious decks.
  
  Depending on any dietary requirements and what suits everybody, it may be that you'll cook your own food, or we may cook for you, or we may ask you to help with the cooking if you have that skill.
  
  Basically, we are democratic and kind, and always looking to find mutually beneficial outcomes. :-)

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  What else ...

  The property is quiet and private, so it's a lovely place to spend time. The nearest town is Ravenshoe, which is a small but well-serviced town 10 minutes away, with most essentials.
  
  It is the highest town in Queensland, around 930 metres above sea level (we are 800 metres). The climate is sub-tropical in the tropical zone, with a wet and dry season, but most of the time it's not too hot because of the altitude. ( It is important to bring warm clothes in the winter, as it gets quite cold at night.) Our micro-climate is more bushland. We're also in a great spot to miss most of the thunderstorms through the wet season.
  
  There are many different towns around the Tablelands, all offering something different. You can drive everywhere within an hour. There is a cinema in Malanda. There is a large hospital in Atherton. There are many weekend markets all over the Tablelands. There are countless beautiful walking trails, waterfalls, rivers, creeks, swimming holes, lakes, etc. There are wonderful tourist attractions everywhere, including a large historic village at Herberton.
  
  While it is most ideal for you to have your own vehicle, if you don't, we can pick you up from the bus. Once you're here, you could potentially get a ride with us when we go anywhere, and depending on what is happening, it may be possible to take you some places.
  
  Our sanctuary is not ideal if you are looking for paid work in town but don't have a car.
  
  If you are seeking a nightlife and easy access to shops, this is not the place for that.
  
  Besides the tranquility and fresh air, the best thing about being out in the country is that there is no light pollution and the starry night sky is spectacular.
  
  Millstream is approximately two hours by car from Cairns, and there is a bus service between Cairns and the Tablelands.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  We have unlimited wireless NBN. Telstra network phone signal is good and works the best here. Vodafone and Optus also work.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  If you prefer to stay in your campervan, we have plenty of space, and can supply electricity and water. There is a toilet and basin in the laundry you can use, and you could share our bathroom for a shower. You would share our kitchen, living room and decks.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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